From Mizen Head To Malin Head On Horseback

From Mizen Head To Malin Head On Horseback

Florian Wagner, an adventure photographer from a small town in the Bavarian Alps and his team undertook an epic journey that would take them from Mizen Head, Cork, all the way to Malin Head, in the Inishowen Peninsula.

Florian described that;

After having completed a similar trek in Germany one of my sponsors suggested Ireland as our next destination, since I had always wanted to explore Ireland, I jumped at the opportunity

Florian Wagner and team at Malin Head, Inishowen

Capturing The Irish Landscape On Horseback In Inishowen, Donegal

This was no ordinary road trip, the team would complete over 800 miles on horseback, capturing the diverse and beautiful Irish landscape along the way. You can see the team above, at the iconic, Wild Atlantic Way signature point; “Banbas Crown”, a Napoleonic Tower, which marked the end of their long journey. Florian noted that;

Irish people have really proven their hospitality big time from the very start, the first friendly person we met was a truck driver on the ferry over

Malin Head, Inishowen ~ Ireland’s most northerly point

Through word of mouth and an eagerness to help within the Irish horsing community, people throughout the country offered to stable the horses and put them up for the night. Meeting Florian and the team at Malin Stables we learnt about their epic journey to Malin Head, Ireland’s most northerly point, pictured above.

Florian and the team enjoying a drink at Farrens Bar, Malin Head

On arrival at Malin Stables we welcomed the group, pictured above, and were on hand to assist with their itinerary. The teams itinerary in Inishowen included; visiting the Doagh Famine Village located on the Isle of Doagh, traveling on horseback through varied terrain and picturesque beaches at Shroove, Pollan Bay, pictured below, Trawbreaga Bay and Malin Head itself. During their stay the crew enjoyed the hospitality of the Malin Hotel, The Seaview Tavern Bar and Restaurant and as you can see above, the team enjoyed a few drinks and some traditional music in Farrens Bar, Ireland’s most northerly bar.

Waves breaking along the Pollan Bay, Ballyliffin ~ Inishowen 100

Highlights And Challenges On The Journey To Malin Head, Inishowen, Donegal

The team expressed gratitude to Malin Equestrian Centre, who stabled their horses and who were on hand to guide them along trails along the #Inishowen coast and countryside. A highlight for Florian and the team during their stay was a trek guided by Kane Gurney from Malin Stables, which took them;

along the beautiful east coast of Inishowen from where we could see Scotland

Views across the Atlantic at Malin Head, Inishowen, Donegal

The team described having the;

Most epic moments were at the Slieve League Cliffs, Donegal, Achill island off the West Coast of Mayo and Malin Head

Florian went on to say that he “just thought Malin Head was some place at the end of the world, some magazines say there are hardly any roads and no-one lives there but we found it the total opposite. It is remote in that it’s not over populated but there are a lot of people and they’re very nice and there are fantastic stable facilities at Malin Stables”

View from Malin Head ~ Inishowen, Donegal

The main challenge for the team was a lack of sleep noting how they “were working very hard before we left Germany so we were tired even before we started. We soon got into the rhythm of fighting through long days”. With a jam packed schedule it was hard for Florian and the team to see and do everything that they wanted to in Inishowen. Florian described how he wants to return;

To ride along the sea when the tide is out, which I haven’t done here in Inishowen and so I would have loved to do that and I really want to come back